Clutch.



W. L. SHEPARD.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31 \au.

1,,Q7L451 I PatentedAug. U, 19KB.

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WILBU'R L. SHEPARD, OF ELMWOOD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO HUBER/I C. HART, F UNIONVILLE, CONNECTICUT, AND ONE-THIRD 'I'O WILLIAM H. LEGATE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

CLUTCH.

' State of Connecticut, have invented certain .new and useful Improvements in Clutches,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what I shall for convenience term a clutch and especially to that kind thereof wherein a suitable fluid under proper control is used to transfer the efiect of a driving member to a driven lliiilll, her. An example of this type of clutch or analogous device is shown in Letters Patent No. 1,229,664 issued to me June 12, 1917. and to which reference may be had. As will be inferred the fluid for the transfer of energy from one element to the other of the clutch or for effecting a practically similar function, may within reasonable limits vary, although liquid such as suitable oil is what I prefer to utilize. In fact one of the primary objects I have in view is means for automatially replenishing the fluigor liquid used in the operation'of the clutc or its equivalent. In clutches of this character using a fluid, it is found that there arises from natural causes a waste of the fluid mental purpose I have in view by the present invention is to provide means for automaticall y replenishing the li mid to thus insure at all times the proper action.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I have shown in detail two otthe several convenient torms of embodiment of the invention, which to enable those skilldd in the art to practice the same will be set forth fully in the followiny description. I do not of course, restrict mysei t to this particular disclosure, but may depart therefrom in several particulars. As a matter of fact the invention comprcl ends brpadly the replenishment of liquid or its equivalent utilized in the operation of the clutch in view of which circumstance the latter when acting to transfer energy from one element to another or performing a like office, can exercise at all times its maximum efliciency.

Referring to said drawings:

Speciflcation'of Letters Patent.

and the funda- Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

Application filed July 31, 1917. Serial No. 183,683.

Figure 1 is a transverse section through a clutch involving the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a like view of a different form.

Like charzuztcrs refer to like parts throughout the several views.

There is a shaft as 2 and this shaft may be either a driving, or a driven shaft, dc-.

pending upon which element of the clutch is the driving member and which the driven. Around this shaft is a closed shell or casing. In the shell or casing 3 is a closed chamber as 1. This clunnber is adapted to receive a suitable lluid generally in the form of some oil, the wall having an opening 5 closed by the screw plug 6. By taking out the screw plug the chamber 4 may he supplied in the first instance and at other times when required with oil. The shaft- 2 we tends through the will have associated with it stutlingboxcs, glands or equivalent nu-ans to prevent leakage of oil from the chamber 4:. In said chamber 4 the shaft 2 is equipped with a crank or eccentric 7 to which as shown are connected the duplicate connecting rods or pitmen 8. In the present case this crank 'Z and its adjuhcts resent one element of the clutch, the other eing the shell or casing 3 and its accessories.

Said shell or casing 3 as shown is furnished with the complemental outward and opposite are. internally cylindrically bored as at 12 respectively to receive the pistons 1a respectively. To the inner sides of the pistons 11 are jointed the outer terminals of the two connecting rods or pitmen 8 to which I have already referred. The extensions 10 are as shown provided each with channels or passages 16 and 17. The inner ends of these assages open into the chamber 4 and their outer ends into the respective piston chambers 12.

The channels or passages 16 and 17 in turn are intersected by chambers as 18 respectively which receive valves as 20 connected to the arms of the spider 22 concentric with the shaft2 and slidable thereon practically in chamber i and in practice the manner shown in my prior patent already identified. It will be clear that the valves 26 may be operated through the ac tier). of the spider to entirely close the respective passages or channels 16 and 17, or to partially close or leave the same wide epen as may be desired.

It will be assumed that the valves are wholly closed, that the shaft 2 is being rotated, and that the crank or eccentric 7 constituting in this case a driving member is as a result turning. The consequence will, therefore; be that as the pistons 14; are blocked or prevented .from movement in gee have already explained. is one of the fundamental purposes I have in view in. the present case, whether described set forth in my prior patent or otherwise. 1' show two difiercntways of obtaining th s automatic supply of oil'as ocasion requires therefor.

'lhe heads of the respective pistons 14: have shown bosses through said heads and, through the respectheir respective chambers or cylinders 12,.

aerate described. This (one only of which is shown) .42 which are provided with valves &3 exactly like those already dow Patent. It will be assumed that oil from some cause has leaked from one of the pairs of passages 16 and 17 or chamber 12 into which they lead. The instant that this oil is lost by such leakage or otherwise, one, or both, of the check valves 26 is automatically opened by suction, thus letting into the passages 16 and 17 from the chamber 4: by way of the ports or perforations of the nuts 29 enough of the oil to take the. place of that lost by leakage. After this occurs the springs 30'immcdiately close the valve or valves 25. I

In Fig. 3 I show a, modification. In this case the numeral 40 denotes a shell which except as to the provision of the oil replenishment means is exactly like that already shell 40 is equipped with a pair of cups 41 having stem's scribed. The stems 42 are reduced as at 44. and are threaded into the casing 40. In this case when the .oil is wasted from leakage or the clutch be as already 2-3 and extending precisely tive bosses are passages 24 each. of two di-,

ame'ters. The portions of lesser diameter of 1e respective passages receive the bodies of practically cylindrical check valves 25, the heads 26 of which are tapered to fit correspondingly tapered seats 27 at'the outer ends of said passages 2-1- when the valves are closed. The cylindrical bodies of the two valves are shown furnished with lateral diametrically opposite channels 28 as shown best in Fig. 2. They also appear in l ig. 1,

The of the valves when the latter are nassage of oil from the chamr 4.. The enlarged portlons receive the stems 28 of the ;5 closed, prevent hers to cln of the passage respective valves, said stems as shown being furnishedwith nuts 29 constituting suitable stops. Said stems are surrounded. by the coiled to hearing against the respeetive stops and valvebodies and which act normally to hold the valves closed as shown for instance by 1.

closed, that the shaft 2 is being that as a consequence the. two p stons 14 are being reciprocated in'their chambers la /I11 View of this circumstance the pistons cannot circulate oil back and forth between the two pairs of closed valves 20 and thus effect the rotation of the part pracl' rally in the same manner shown in my prior Letters It will be assumed that the valves 20 are driven and otherwise valves, either one or both-as 43 are automatically opened to at once supply the loss.

I should explain that the reduced portions 44 of the stems 42 are threaded into the plates or heads closing the opposite ends of the shell 'or casing. This shell or casing is like the shell or casing 3 already des .ribed.

I have noted the fact that I have called the device herein as a matter of convenience a clutch. The improvement when incorporated in an article of this character operates in a highly satisfactory manner. It is possible that the invention can be incorporated so far as the automatic supply of oil or similar substance is eoncerned,-in other appurtenances.

What'l claim is:

1. The combination of a rotary shell having a chamber, passages leading from said chamber at opposite'sides thereof and also having cylinders in which the outer ends of the passages open, a valve extending across each of said passages, means for opening or closing the valve to either permit or check the flow of liquid from the chamber to and along said passages, pistons in the respective cylinders and at opposite sides of which the respective passages are situated, a shaft extending into the shell and operatively 'cbnnectcd with the pistons, the shell having means associated therewith for receiving a liquid and also having automatically operable check valves adapted to be opened by suction to supply liquid to said passages on leakage of the liquid from the passages.

2. The combination of a rotary shell hav- I ing a chamber, passages leadiifgirom said chamber-eh opposite sides thereof, and also having cylinders in which the outer ends of the passages open, a valve extendin across each passage, means for opening 0 closingthe valves to either pexmit or checkthe flow of liquid from the chamber to and alongsaid passages, pistons in the respective cylinders and at opposite sides of which the respective passages el e 1ocated,-and outwardly opening check valves carried by the heads of the re- 10 spective pistons.

In testimony whereof I eflix my signature "in the presence of two witnesses.

I WILBUR L. SHEPARD, Witnems:

L. L. MAmmL,

HEATH SUTHERIAND. 

